A Miami elementary school teacher is now facing 13 criminal charges after prosecutors accused him of victimizing 5 of his students, including by molesting some of them and showing them porn.
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Cesar Oriol Cardoso, 53, was arrested Friday and now faces more than a dozen charges, including offenses against students by authority figures, lewd and lascivious conduct on a child, and transmitting or showing obscene material to a minor.
On Thursday, Cardoso appeared in court handcuffed, where he learned of the 13 charges and how more could be coming since prosecutors were also speaking to a possible sixth victim.
“I know the forensic interview took place this morning, so I spoke to the detective after that, we do believe that charges will be filed on that. I would assume within the next few days,” Marie Koth said.
Inside the classroom
According to an arrest report, the alleged incidents happened at Sunset Park Elementary School on Southwest 84th Street.
One victim told investigators Cardoso would remove her from physical education or lunch, along with other students, and take them back to his classroom to complete classwork if they were behind, the report said.
She said Cardoso would call her to his desk and show her inappropriate images or videos of naked women, and on another occasion, he showed her a photo of a man naked from the waist down, though she wasn’t sure if it was him. But on another occasion, she said he showed her a photo of himself naked, the report said.
The girl said Cardoso also removed another student from class so they could “spend time and play in his classroom,” and said while they were playing he “slapped both students on the buttocks and in a playful tone, told them that if they continued misbehaving, he would hit them on the butt,” the report said.
She said she was also shown videos of naked women and of a man and woman engaging in a sex act by Cardoso.
Another victim said Cardoso showed her pictures and videos of sexual content multiple times and “once asked if she was scared while he showed her an inappropriate picture,” the report said.
On another occasion, she said Cardoso told her he wanted to kiss her and on another, tickled her around her waist and chest area, the report said.
Another victim said she and another girl were in PE class when Cardoso had them excused and brought back to his classroom, and said he told one girl she was beautiful and tried to touch her arm and grab her, the report said.
She said Cardoso would compliment her, telling her, “you’re so beautiful,” while touching her hair, and she told him to stop, but he continued doing it with other girls, the report said.
Another girl said Cardoso put his hand on her shoulder and slid it down to her thigh, the report said.
Yet another victim said when she approached Cardoso’s desk to ask about a math problem, he would show the inappropriate pictures on his phone to her, and she said on another occasion he tried to touch her upper thigh/buttocks area, but she redirected his hand and told him not to touch her, and he said he was sorry, the report said.
A fifth victim said that towards the end of third grade, Cardoso started to touch her on the arm and thigh and would slap her on the buttocks, and said she and another victim would get slapped on their buttocks, the report said.
She said in fourth grade, he started showing her pictures and videos of naked women and men and women having sex, and said they were alone in his classroom once and he told her he wanted to kiss her and leaned in, but she turned away, the report said.
The girl said Cardoso once showed her a photo of a naked man who was wearing a similar watch that he has and believed it was him, she said.
On another occasion, she said she approached Cardoso’s desk for help with a math problem and found him sitting behind his desk “with one hand on his leg and the other hand over his clothing on his crotch and asked if she would like to squish it,” the report said.
Cardoso was interviewed by Miami-Dade Schools Police but invoked his rights and declined to give a statement, and he was arrested and booked into jail, the report said.
School district responds
Miami-Dade County Public Schools released a statement on the arrest on Monday.
“Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is deeply troubled by the disturbing allegations against this individual. School administration acted swiftly upon learning of these allegations in April 2026 and removed the teacher from the school setting on the next business day. Miami-Dade Schools Police subsequently launched a formal investigation. The individual separated from M-DCPS in May 2026 and was arrested on September 11, 2026,” the statement read. “Behavior of this nature will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Although he is no longer employed by M-DCPS, he is permanently precluded from seeking or obtaining future employment with the District.”
Denial
Cardoso pleaded not guilty on Thursday, and his attorney denied all the allegations.
“My client is adamant that he is not guilty. The allegations are false. He looks forward to his day in court,” said Michael Mirer, Cardoso’s defense attorney.
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